“Yeah. And you are?” You reply flatly. You continue walking, deciding not to acknowledge whoever is speaking to you. You’re not in the mood.

“Draco Malfoy. And I’m not finished talking to you yet.” The voice is dangerously low and menacing.

“You are now.”

You try not to laugh. He’s the son of that pitiful Death Eater, Lucius. You met him in Azkaban, and his cell had been next to yours. But what an odd name his son has…

“I don’t think so—” Without another word, you’ve been pinned up against a wall, hands behind your back. “Not so tough now, are you?” Your assailant is a tall, blonde boy with dark gray eyes. He stands with his legs slightly open, allowing you the perfect means of revenge and escape.

You merely roll your eyes. The son of a Death Eater indeed. Hadn’t anyone taught this whelp how to fight? His groin is completely exposed…

You jump about a foot in the air, but regain control almost instantly. “Remus.”

He steps in front of you. “We need to talk, okay?”

You shake your head vigorously. “No.”

“Yes, Shadow. Please.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean, why?”

“Why, Remus? Speaking to me can’t possibly help either one of us understand the other.”

“I think you’ll find that it will.” He walks over to the right side of the corridor and sits on the floor. “Sit.” He pats the spot beside him.

You do so, but hesitantly.

“What would you like to know?” Remus looks at you intently.

“Why you left.” You answer quietly.

He takes a deep breath. “You know that your father never approved of me, due to the fact that I am a werewolf…”

~~~

“Get out of my home, this instant!”

“Yes sir.” Remus turned, leaving.

“Come back, and I will kill you. And I’ll kill her.” Your father nodded at the stairs to your bedroom. “She’s the only one you care about, isn’t she? Shadow is the one person in your life who hasn’t rejected you for who you are. Without her, you’d be nothing. You’d just be a bloodthirsty werewolf, roaming the world, sad and alone.” He smirked.

The young werewolf stiffened angrily, but then straightened his collar and walked out.

The front door to your family’s mansion closed gently.

You stood on the stairs only moments after Remus had left, meaning to come down and give Remus a hug. You’ve done it every morning that he’s arrived, and he’s always on time.

But…

Where was he?

~~~

You bottom lip trembles. “Rem, I didn’t know…He didn’t tell me that…”

Remus stared at the ground. “What did he tell you?”

“Well, when I was little—” You let out a short laugh. “Dad told me you thought I was bad, and that you went off to watch someone else’s daughter. But as I got older, he told me that you’d found someone more important in your life, and I stopped asking about you.” You smile bitterly. “I wanted to think that you were happy, so I didn’t bug him anymore. But were you?”

“You think I could be happy without my little Shadow following me around?” He jokes, ruffling your hair affectionately. He becomes more serious suddenly. “I couldn’t be happy, knowing that I’d left you alone with your father. I didn’t trust him. I still don’t trust him.”

“I’m glad that you found me, Remmie.” You smile genuinely now, recalling games of hide-and-seek. You lean your head against his shoulder. It’s exactly how you remembered, just the right size to be comfortable on.

You shift slightly as Remus rests the side of his head atop yours. “No, I’m just glad that we found each other.”